The Spruce / Leticia Almeida Maybe you found the perfect shirt, but it’s a size too large. Or, you left a sweater hanging too long and it’s now long enough to be a dress. Unfortunately, hot water can also cause silk to lose its natural sheen, so start with warm water. The Spruce / Letícia Almeida Keep repeating the process until the items are as small as you desire. Hot water and high heat temperatures make clothes shrink fast....

In fact, duvet is actually a French word meaningdown. Duvet covers can be made of cotton, synthetics, wool, or silk. Some use zippers, while others use buttons to close over the duvet. The Spruce / Sanja Kostic The cover should fit snugly over the duvet so there’s no shifting or bunching while its in-use. However, by following these simple directions the chore can be much easierand quicker. The white pillowcase is the duvet and the green pillowcase (shown here) represents the duvet cover....

The Spruce / Adelyn Duchala Baking soda is a great oven-cleaning ingredient. What You’ll Need Want more cleaning and organizing tips? Start with a quick steam, and then add the baking soda paste all around the oven. The Spruce / Adelyn Duchala To make cleaning easier,use steam to soften stuck-on grime. Set the oven temperature to 450F. and the timer for 30 to 60 minutes. The Spruce / Sanja Kostic...

Check the fabric care label on the piece of stained clothing. If jelly lands on fabrics labeled dry-clean-only, scrape off solids and blot away any moisture. As soon as possible, head to thedry cleanerand point out and identify the stain. The Spruce / Joules Garcia Read on to learn how to remove jam and jelly stains from clothing, carpets, and upholstery. Want more cleaning and organizing tips? Rinse the fabric and blot it with a clean white cloth before air drying....

That’s moldand it’s both unsightly and unhealthy to have around. Here are five methods you might use to get rid of mold on ashower curtainor liner. Here’s how to restore the look of your items. The Spruce / Almar Creative Never pour undiluted vinegar directly on dark colors. Mix a paste of baking soda and a small amount of water in a small bowl. Dip a soft-bristled brush in the paste and gently scrub the mold-stained areas of the curtain....

The Spruce / Fiona Campbell How you organize kitchen appliances depends on what jot down of cook you are. If you’re a raw food lover, yourblenderwill be front-and-center. Scrutinize your appliances to check that their uses are robust and not one-note. The Spruce / Fiona Campbell For example, consider buying a high-quality blender that can double as afood processor. Do you really need a panini press when you already have a waffle iron?...

Ketchup is our favorite condiment on all sorts of summer foodsuntil it lands on our clothes. Like most stains, ketchup or anytomato-based stainis easier to remove right after it happens. Want more cleaning and organizing tips? The Spruce / Michela Buttignol Never rub the stainit pushes the ketchup deeper into the fibers, and you don’t want that. Cleaning Tip Be sure to use cold waterhot water will set in any tomato-based stain....

Elizabeth Fernandez/ Getty Images Lucky bamboo is a popular houseplant with long, green stems and lance-shaped green leaves. Keep the plant several feet from the harsh light of south-facing or west-facing windows. Want more gardening tips? Elizabeth Fernandez/ Getty Images The chlorine in tap water can cause issues like brown tips.Instead, use rainwater or distilled water. Ensure that all roots are submerged in the water after refreshing your plant’s water....

The Spruce / Danielle Moore Low alkalinity can cause many issues inmaintaining a pool. It diminishes chlorines ability to keep your pool’s water clear, clean, and blue. A low alkalinity level can also cause eye burning and cause excessive metal corrosion and potentiallystain your pool finish. The Spruce / Danielle Moore Fortunately, it’s easy to avoid these problems. Read on to learn the importance of alkalinity and how to raise the alkalinity in your pool....

It is a crucial parameter for plant growth because the availability of nutrients to plants hinges upon it. The most commonly used material to neutralize soil acidity is lime. Other options are wood ash and eggshells. The Spruce / Jayme Burrows What Affects Soil pH? The punch in of rocks in an area determines whether the soil tends to be acidic or alkaline. Acidic granite rock contributes to acidic soil whereas alkaline shale or limestone contributes to alkaline soil....

Yet reading a tape measure can initially seem complicated. Instead, reel the blade in slowly. If the tapemeasureblade becomes crimped or cracked, it is best to replace the tool. The Spruce / Claire Cohen ensure to buy a replacement authorized by the manufacturer for your tape measure model. Some marks are black and some are red. Most tape measures will accurately measure down to increments of 1/16 inch, and some have 1/32-inch markings....

The Spruce / Ellen Lindner You’ve done laundry for years so you just ignore the labels. Have you ever had a T-shirt shrink so small it fits the dog? Have you ever had asilky blousecome out looking dull and covered with balls of fuzz? The Spruce / Ellen Lindner It might be time to take a few seconds and look at the care symbols. Laundry symbols on clothes labels are there to help you....

The Spruce / Leticia Almeida Even if you love to iron, no one wants more wrinkles in clothes. For decades,hours were spent on ironingeach week. Here are six clothing care and laundry tips that will help you look your best with as littleironingas possible. The Spruce / Letícia Almeida Byhaving your laundry sorted correctlybefore washing, you will also reduce wrinkles in the dryer. Lightweight items dry much quicker than heavier fabrics such as denim....